​​

​1. What is the Streams Learning Hub?
Answer: Streams Learning Hub is a part-time learning community is for teenagers not in school. It is designed to support diverse learners, through hands-on STEM, creative arts, languages and entrepreneurship projects. The idea of the Hub is one which has been evolving over the past seven years; what started with an unplanned exit from mainstream education to home education for Jo's family, led to a growing desire to see innovative learning opportunities embedded in a heart shaped learning community for young people in Bristol.

​

2. Who can join the Hub?
Answer: The Hub is primarily open to home educated young people aged 12-18. We have been flexible on this range in some special instances so do get in touch if you would like to have a conversation before your learner turns 12. Some of our external programmes and workshops e.g. Science Creates workshops are also accessible to younger learners.

​

3. What types of activities and programs do you offer?
Answer: We offer a wide range of activities including art and drama workshops, Languages and Global Citizen sessions, STEM projects, innovation challenges and technology sessions like AI, VR, and digital art. Our workshops and programmes are designed to be hands-on, engaging, and tailored to the interests of our learners.

​

4. How do I join Streams Learning Hub?
Answer: We recommend getting in touch by email and speaking to a member of the team to arrange to visit us in person. We find this is the best way to ensure your young person is comfortable in the environment and allows us to find out more about them and their interests. 

​

5. What is the cost of joining the Streams Learning Hub?
Answer: Our fees are reviewed a the end of each term and vary depending on the programs and activities chosen. Rates for our Monday to Wednesday Hub days from Sept to Dec 2024 are listed below. Please email us directly if you need the discounted 'pay what you can' rate.​ We are deliberately keeping our fees low as mindful there is no financial support for home educators. We continue to apply for grants and look for supporters/investors to enable this model to work.

​

        £30 Standard full day rate (£15 for half days)

        £20 Minimum 'pay what you can' full day rate​​​​​ (£10 for half day)
        £75 Local Authority funded place rate

        £10/session for tutor led workshops (Functional Skills - 1 hour session)

​

6. Why is the Local Authority rate different? 

Answer: The Local Authority rate more accurately reflects the daily cost of running the Hub; however, it still does not account for the significant amount of work the team puts in to ensure the Hub functions, grows, and expands its workshop opportunities. The £75 day rate reflects the cost of running just one day for one of our young people.
For young people who receive funding through an EHC plan*/EOTAS you can request the provision with your Local Authority for workshops at the Hub. However, we need to emphasise that we are limited in providing SEN support.
Currently, we are not an Alternative Registered Provider or OFSTED registered.

(*a young person who has a school named on the EHCP but needs a day or so a week of alternative provision could also access this funded by the LA through their plan, as well as those on EOTAS.)

 

7. Where is Streams Learning Hub based?
Answer: We are currently based in a temporary space in central Bristol until December 2024. We are actively seeking a permanent home and will update our community as soon as we have more information. The dream is to have our own space, that can be co-designed with young people and enable a wider range of learning opportunities as well as a chilled hang out space and co-working space for members. Please do connect with us if you know of a space we could use.   

​

8. When are you open?
Answer: Our standard hours are from 10:45am to 4:15pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and 10:45am to 1pm on Wednesday. We do allow learners to arrive from 10:30am to see their friends, play games, get settled etc. However, we do run external events and workshops outside of these hours. It's a good idea to keep an eye on our newsletter or messages on Heartbeat for the most up-to-date information.

​

9. Do you provide one-on-one support for neurodivergent learners?
Answer: At this early stage, we are not able to offer 1:1 tailored support for neurodivergent learners but we do try to make appropriate adjustments and empower young people to take control of their own learning and needs. e.g. taking breaks as and when they need to, listening to music if that's their thing etc.

​

10. Can parents be involved in the Hub?
Answer: Absolutely!

 

We are not a school, nor do we intend to be one.  Our out-of-school setting supports parents by supplementing the learning taking place at home and elsewhere. Whilst much learning takes place at the Hub, the responsibility for providing a full-time education remains with the parents.

​

We encourage parent involvement in the Hub through regular updates, parent information sessions, and through our communication platform Heartbeat. We are particularly keen to receive feedback and be led by our community. 

​

11. How can I stay informed about upcoming events and programs?
Answer: You can subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media. We regularly post updates, upcoming events, and opportunities for learners, especially on instagram.

​

12. What safety measures are in place at the hub?
Answer: The safety and well-being of our learners is our top priority. We have rigorous safeguarding policies, including DBS-checked staff and a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), first aid-trained team members, and secure entry systems.

​

13. Can my young person attend for a trial period?
Answer: Yes, we recognise that some learners will need to visit a number of times before they're happy to join for a block of sessions. We're happy to enable visits and trials for new learners to experience the hub before committing to a full programme. Please contact us to arrange a trial visit.

​

14. Do you offer any online or hybrid learning options?
Answer: Currently, our focus is on in-person, hands-on learning. However, we do run an online Global Citizen programme in collaboration with LYFTA and  are exploring other online partnerships for this academic year. Please keep an eye on our newsletter and Heartbeat for updates!

​

15. How do you cater to different learning styles?
Answer: 100%. We recognise that every young person is unique. The Hub, our workshops and our partnerships are designed to allow our young people to flourish into life-long, life wide, life-deep learners.

​

16. How can I support the Streams Learning Hub?
Answer: You can support us by volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word about our hub. We are always looking for passionate individuals and organisations to partner with us in our mission.

​

17. Can you help me with report writing?

Answer: We have received several requests this summer from parents seeking support with their report writing or assessment journeys. For some, this involves summarizing their child’s learning at the Hub to submit to their local authority. For others, it’s about supporting applications for ADHD assessments (in lieu of the teacher’s role). We are happy to discuss your requirements and provide support where we can. However, we recognize that these requests take time, so we charge a fee of £49 per hour. We will agree on the time and cost before undertaking the report.

 

In line with our values, our heart is to be transparent and honest, so that is where we begin on our journey with our community. We are self-funding, our core team are volunteers, and have set ourselves a challenge this year to establish a sustainable financial model. ​

​

​